Machine-gun



3 Sheets-Sheet 1`.

Uv' VENTO. R:

M. P. KEY; Machine Gun.

i Patented May 17,1881,

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M. KEY. y Machine Gm. NO. 241,671.l Patened May 17,1881..

ENTOR WITNESSES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 (No Model.)

-M. P. KEYl Machine Gun.

Patented MayA I7, 188%.`

WITJVELS'SES Mm y MW By .d1/torna UNITED 'STATES PTENT OFFICE,-

MINLElt l. KEY, 0F MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

MACHINE-GUN,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 241,671, dated May 17, 1881 Application lled March 23, 188i. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that LMINTER P. KEY, a cilizen of the United States, residing at Memphis, in the county ot' Shelby and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machine or Field-Battery Guns, and I do hereby declare the following to be a t'nll, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the saine, reference being had to the aecompanyingdraw ings, and to the letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form apart of' this speeication. l

My invention Arelates to certain new and useful'improvements in the class of machine or battery gunsemploying a series of barrels ar` ranged side by side on the same horizontal plane; and the invention has lorits object the production ot' a gun in which the fire from several cases,leaeh containing' a series ot' barrels, can be concentrated at any given point and in dil'erent or the same horizontal planes, and also to sweep the segment ot' a circle; and to this end the invention-consists, essentially, in a series of pivoted eases arranged one above the other on the same axis, cach ease containing a series of barrels arranged side by side, in combination with a carriage and a stationary ease or box having a similar series of barrels arranged on said carriage; and the invention further consists invnovel features otl construction, and combination and arrangement of parts, all as will be hereinafter fully described, and specifically pointed outin the claims. l

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a top view or plan ot' my improved gun with the'topshield ot' the armor removed; Fig. 2, a longitudinal vertical seet-ion Fig. 3, detail horizontal section ot' one ot' the cases or boxes containing a series ot'barrels; Fig. 4, cross-section ot' Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a

l rear elevation, with the side shields broken away; Fig. (i, a longitudinal vertical section through the series ol' cases or boxes, showing the adjusting mechanism for elevating or lowering the cases at either or both ends thereof. lf`ig.7isa sideelevation, with one ol' the wheels removed.

-In the drawings, A A represent the supporting-wheels, connected by the usual axle, B,

and U a metallic box in which said axle rests,

saidl box having horizontal projecting flanges e e at the upper end thereof, to which the snplated or turned thereon in order to elevate or 6o depress the bed-plate upon which the cases or boxes containing the series of barrels are arranged, as will now be described.

E F G represent eases or boxes, each proA vided wtha series ol barrels, cfg, a" anged side by side, and soldered orotherwise secured together. These boxes or cases are arranged one above the other, the lower case or box, lil, being stationary, and the .upper ones, F (i, pivoted orjournaled on the same vertical axis II, 7o

so that either one ot the cases or boxes FG can be turned imlependently ot' the other, and respectively to the right and left., so that the eases or boxes when in such position are fanlike in l'orm, and the fire therefrom adapted to 75 sweep the segment of a eirele,as clearlyshown in Fig. l. rlhe vertical axis or shat't II, upon which the eases or boxes F Cr are-journaled, has shoulders j" g', upon which they are supported and adjusted, as shown in Fig. (i. The So axis or shaft l'I passes down through the case E, and has ascrew-thread, h, thereon, nea-r the lower end, which works in a screw-threaded portion, c', and also a hand lever or wheel on the lower end, by which it can be turned, and

thus elevate or depress the pivoted eases F G at their rear ends.

.Between the eases or boxes, near their front ends, are arranged pivoted cams u` a, which may be operated from the rear ol' the gun by 9o any suitable means l'or elevating or depressing said cases or boxes F (l at their l'ront ends.

By the abovedescribed arrangement ot' the pivoted cases or boxes and their adjusting mechanism, the lire. from the barrels ol' the 95 several cases or boxes can be concmitrated at any given point desired, or on dil'l'erlnit horizontal planes, and also to sweep the segment. ot' a circle.

By adjusting the enses or boxes F (i relaroo tively to each other and to the case or box E, as shown in Fig. (i, the distance between their horizontal planes is increased, and, through the medium ot' the. l'ront and rear adjusting mechanism. the upper cases or boxes,F G, can be adjusted so as to depress their front ends and concentrate the fire from the barrels of the several cases, or adjusted so as to depress the rear ends thereof, and thus elevate their front ends so that the fire from the barrels of each of said pivoted cases will be at an angle orvupward inclination to the tire from the bar rels ot' the lower or stationary case, E. These adjustments ofthe cases or boxes F Gr permit the range ot the h'refrom the barrels of the several cases or boxes to bc so regulated as to cover platoons in rear of each other, and which, especially in advancing up or down hill, could be made very eective. The cases or boxes are provided with inlet-openings i for the admission of water or other suitable fluid, to surround and prevent undue heating ofthe barrels when under rapid lire, and outlet or discharge openings j, to permit the withdrawal or discharge of the water or other fluid when desired. The eases or boxes are also provided, on the sides thereof, with telescopes I, as shown in dotted'lines, Fig. 1, in order to getthe proper range.

rlhe stationary box or case E may be dispensed with, if desired, and the number of stationary and pivoted boxesorcases increased, without departing from the spirit of m y in ven'- tion.

In order to protect the men operating the gun, as well as the horses, I provide a novel arrangement of armor, as will now be described. J represents the bottom shield ofthe armor pivoted to the box C or axle, and inelining rearward and downward at the proper angle to cause any balls striking it to glance downward toward the ground. I K K represent the side shields ofthe armor pivoted to theaxle or box 0,011 opposite sides of the cases' or boxes E F G, and extending Vthe gun.

from or near the ground a short distance above the upper case or box, Gr, and inclined or beveled olf on their top ends, 7s, for a purpose to These side shields extend rearward and outward from their pivotal point at theproper angle, so that any balls striking them will glance otll or away from the gun. l

L represents the top .shield of the armor pivotallyconnected to the axle or box C, and cut away for the cases or boxes, as shown in Fig. 5,

sothat it may be turned over on the upper case 0r box Gr when the gun is not under fire. This shield inclines rearward and upward at the l proper angle, soA that any ball striking it will glance upward and over the men operating When the shield L is in proper` position it is supported both by the rods l and the side shields, K K, upon which its cxtreme edges rest, as shown more clearly in Fig. 7, the beveled or inclined top edges ofthe side shields corresponi'ling to the angle of the top shield.

The top shield is provided with an opening, M, for observatiomand which is closed by a me tallic slide, m. A l

In order to permit of the necessary side play of the pivoted boxes or cases F Gr, the 'top shieldis provided with openings a n, which are closed when said cases or boxes are in line with the lower case or box, E, by means of the automatic slides n n', operated through the medium of the springs o o, which press or bear against the rear ends of said slides, sc that their front ends are always pressed against the sides of said boxes or cases, as clearly shown in Fig. 5.

The manner of loading and firing the barrels of the several cases or boxes of my4 improved gun is not deemed essentialin this case, as it will form the subject-matter of a subsequent application for Letters Patent.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure .by

Letters Patent, isv 1. In a machine or battery gun, a series of pivoted cases or boxes arranged one abovethe other on the same axes, and each caseor box containing a series of barrels arranged side by side, in combination with a carriage and a stationary case or box having a similar series of barrels arranged on said carriage, substantially in the manner as and for the purpose hereinshown and described.

2. In a-machine or battery gun, the combination of a stationary case or box, a series of pivoted cases or boxes arranged one above the other on the samev axis,`and each case or box provided with a ,series of barrels arranged side by side, and mechanism, substantially as de-l scribed, for adjusting said pivoted cases relatively to each other, and the stationary case vor box arranged between said eases near their front ends, substantially as anu for the 4purpose specified.

3. In a machine or battery gun, the combination, with the pivoted cases or boxes, ofthe top shield of the armor, having openings n n arranged in the opposite side edges thereof, and automatic-closing spring-slides n n', substantially as and for the purpose specified.'

4. In a machine or battery gun, the armor consisting of the bottom shield, J, side shields, K K, and top shield, L, having openings arranged in the opposite side edges thereof, and automatic-closing spring-slides, all pivoted to the axle or box O, and arranged relatively to4 roo4 each other, and the pivoted cases or boxes, substan'tially as herein shown and described.

1n testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MIN'IER P. KEY.

Witnesses:

D. C. ALLEN, N. L. ALLEN. 

